Current trends in health technology assessment (HTA) indicate a shift away from the use of cost-effectiveness to value-related measures. A suite of analysis methods, collectively referred to as “risk-benefit analysis”, can be used to address these requirements. Of these, multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is considered a leading candidate for practical application in HTA.

Limitations of cost-effectiveness analysesThe quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), frequently used in cost-effectiveness analyses and once the gold-standard outcome measure for economic evaluation in healthcare, is coming under heavier criticism than ever before. While appropriate in certain situations, the instruments used to generate QALYs have been shown to lack the required sensitivity to capture all benefits of interventions in some therapy areas, including hearing loss and schizophrenia. Continue reading →